Hope
by In the Closet FanFic Reader
Summary: Warning: House of Hades spoilers. Hope is a dreadful thing. It makes you unreasonable. It hurts you where you're most vulnerable. It's exactly what the gods want her to feel. But then when she remembers his smile, the confidence in his voice, the look in his eyes. She can't help it. Caleo (CalypsoxLeo) Rated T because I felt like it. Almost no cursing. R & R and have a nice day.
1. Prologue

**A/N**

**So the prologue is 100% original work, but it's also kind of short. Sorry about that. But the chapters all take place during the time Leo is on Ogygia, just from Calypso's perspective. So most of the dialogue is straight from the book. Which I don't own by the way. All credit to Uncle Rick. But pretty much everything else is original since Calypso didn't have a POV in the book. I read House of Hades and just love Caleo (CalypsoxLeo). I haven't written anything in a long time, and even when I did I wouldn't say I was the best. I hope you can enjoy this though. Just a little something I've been writing for a few days. I had a beta read, but if you see anything wrong, feel free to mention it. Well, read on!**

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**Prologue**

At first the gods had chosen only to curse her with love. Heroes would be brought to her island. Heroes that she couldn't help but love, most who couldn't help but love her back. But noble heroes. _Damn their nobility_. They could never stay, and she understood. Often they had _families_. Often they had _duties_. Often they had another lover. _Their lover_. She was nothing but a distraction. A hot nurse, on a beautiful island. She would always bring them back to health. She would feed them, clothe them, and _distract_ them. Then would come the decision. Some would take hours. Sometimes days. Some even took years, but she was sure they explained it differently once home. But all decided the same. They decided to leave the decided to leave her care. _To leave her_.

That was here curse. Her pain. She really couldn't blame them. They did have often have quests. Duties. People. But that didn't make it better. It didn't lessen the blow. Sometimes she wondered that if she could resist loving them, if they wouldn't be allowed to leave. But she never could. She would continue to pay for her decision to support her father. Though the Olympians may not have killed her as the Titans or Giants would, this fate was crueler. Like something thought up by Hades for the fields of punishment. Over the years she resigned herself to this fate, not losing the pain, but coming to expect it. Sometimes she wonders if that was her mistake.

The Gods made her hate love, and soon they would make her hate hope. Because things would change. It all started with that pirate, _Drake_. Zeus knows why she would ever trust someone who steals for a living. But he had a certain charm, a kind of swashbuckling debonair to him. He did something no other had. He left of course. They all did. But he said he'd _come back_. Back. For awhile she mused about this word, turned it around in her head. Examined it. Interrogated it. Back. Surely someone never would. Even if they could, which was impossible. But he convinced her, with smooth words and well placed kisses. He explained that he knew the ocean well enough to return, after all he was a Son of the Sea god. She began to feel something new flicker. Something that made her lighter. Something that coursed through her like lightning. Hope. What an exciting new feeling.

For months after he left, she walked taller. Smiled more, sang louder. She packed a bag, the magic keeping it from spoiling. She made plans. Places she wanted to go, and things she wanted to do. She wondered if she could bring her invisible servants. Travel the world on a boat the seemingly cleaned itself, fed the crew, worked the rigging. She giggled imagining herself in pirate garb, the idea of being dirty somehow exciting her.

Then the first cobweb formed on her backpack and her singing started to fade. Another one soon followed, around the same time she stopped giggling. More and more started to form, each one taking the light out of her eyes, the joy out of her smile. Finally as the bag itself started to sag, so did her shoulders. The tears returned and she cursed herself for being so stupid, so gullible. At first she convinced herself that time flowed different here, he was still coming. Soon that too faded. Maybe he had trouble convincing his crew? She had trouble convincing herself. Finally as the years passed by she realized how much of a fool she had been. She saw hope for what it truly was. A devil wearing angel wings. A new way for the gods to break her.

Then came Percy. She tried. She really did. It wasn't fair though, he came in the worst condition she had seen in a long time. She couldn't simply ignore him, she had to help him. And as she nursed him, her resolve crumbled. When he woke up, he was so gentle and charming. She just couldn't help herself. He asked about the backpack, layered in dust and dirt, cobwebs covering every inch, with mushrooms growing underneath. She said it was there as a reminder. He left it at that. They talked, sharing stories. Manhattan sounded so strangely…new, and different. The lack of gardens he described surprised her. People must have stopped caring for the Earth, as they once did. She made him promise to plant a Garden. For her. Maybe if she could not escape, something from her could. Then he promised something. And she realized he wasn't just here to torture her with love, but with hope as well.

He didn't exactly promise to come back. He said he would, but she quickly told him it was impossible, before he had time to poison her with promises. Then he got a look in his eyes. Told her something she didn't expect. Something she couldn't possibly hope for. He would talk to the gods, make them promise to set her free, or at least allow visitors. The strength he spoke it with, the confidence in his eyes. She tried to build a wall, but it was already too late. Hope came flooding back in. She could see the powerful destiny of this demigod, maybe…

She did not sing louder. She did not giggle. She did not pack a bag. But she couldn't help the smile. It came swift and small, developing fully before she had time to quell it. The hope burned inside her this time. Not like lightning, but like peeling a scab. Pouring salt on a fresh wound. She watched the horizon. She told herself it was because of the beauty, she wasn't looking for a ship. No, of course not. She wasn't stupid enough to hope again. But she was. She did. And it _broke_ her.

As the months turned, the smile abandoned her. What she fought so hard to keep away, she now struggled to grab. Something inside her snapped and she cried. Cried deeply on the shore, sobs wracking her body. She had hoped again. Percy pushed her over a line she had never crossed. She cursed herself. And him. Uttering a curse for him to feel this abandonment. This loneliness that she was feeling. As the words tore through her mind and out of her hoarse throat, she instantly regretted it. For a split second time slowed and the temperature dropped. At first she feared a visit from Kronos himself, but as she heard her curse whispered back to her she understood fully what she had done. At least it would never harm Percy, the Arai stay in Tartarus. He would never know how much he broke her. After centuries of heartbreak, misery, and crying something changed. Calypso picked herself up and stormed off the beach. No longer was she sad. She was _pissed_. She would not be fooled again. Woe to the next hero sent to her shores. Then that _stupid Leo Valdez_ blew up her dining table.

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**Flames will be used to bake cookies. Reviews appreciated but I won't beg for them. So if you liked it, why don't you tell me? If you didn't, why don't you still tell me :D Anyways hoped you enjoyed this. There will be 3 chapters and an epilogue of sorts. Expect those to come out soon, their already written (except for the epilogue) and I just have to check for errors.**

**-In the Closet FanFic Reader**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N**

**So this is where I start following the book. So just in case you didn't read my AN last chapter, most of the dialogue is pulled straight from the book. I do not own this book. I do not own these characters. All rights go to Uncle Rick. Also this chapter is a little bit longer than the last one, hopefully you enjoy it!**

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She was tending her garden when it happened. She heard off in the distance a slight whirring sound, as if creaky metal plates were spinning out of control. She sighed and grabbed her celestial bronze knife, lately some minor flying monsters made it through the magic barrier around her island. She wondered if something was happening outside her island that was breaking down the powerful magic only gods could push heroes through. Then she heard it. A distant yelling. A _boy_ yelling. Anger boiled up inside of her. _NO! Not again!_ She started sprinting to the beach when a loud explosion echoed out over her island and she heard screaming, both boy and metal. It was followed by a second explosion, this one unmistakably on her beach. She ran towards the beach, panic spreading through her body. Was she under attack? Had she somehow angered the gods? Was this the end? Arriving on the beach was was greeted by a smoking pit where her table used to be, with a smaller one next to it. Apparently her attackers really hated tea. She grinned imagining Zeus using all of his power to crush tea parties, and ransack china shops. If only. She saw no ship or attacker in sight, and heard nothing but some sizzling and clunking from the pit. She was about to write it off as a freak accident when she heard someone yell.

"My sphere! Come to Papa!", yelled the voice from the pit. One of the stranger things she'd heard someone yell in a while. She groaned dreading the inevitable. Was it a huge warrior, sent to her island from an unfortunate explosion? Was it another suave smooth talker of the seas blown off of his ship? Was it a son of Apollo trying to mimic his father? She inwardly groaned, imagining the ways she'd avoid falling for what was always an attractive, sweet, noble hero barely surviving. She took a peak over the edge, and was genuinely surprised at what she saw. Apparently the Gods had sent her a gnome. In the pit was standing a scrawny boy with dark skin, curly hair and an impish face. He was holding a smoldering sphere of celestial bronze. The pit was littered with fragments from her dining table, set for tea later, and fragments of what looked like a small helicopter strewn around. And he was smiling. He was perfectly fine, standing in the pit in her beach, absent-mindedly tinkering with the sphere.

"What are you doing! You blew up my dining table!"

The boy turned and he lost the dreamy, faraway look he had and looked at her with a questioning expression. He quickly sized her up and an angry expression took over his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" his voice immediately took a sarcastic tone. "I just fell out of the sky. I constructed a helicopter in midair, burst into flames halfway down, crash-landed, and barely survived. But by all means-let's talk about your dining table!"

She was about to respond with an equally snarky comment, but apparently he wasn't done yet. He grabbed one of her half-melted goblets and shook it at her yelling, "Who even puts a dining table on the beach where innocent demigods can crash into it? Who does that?"

All the rage of the last few centuries of torment, paired with the sudden invasion of this, this… _annoying_ demigod pushed her over the edge. With a scream she yelled at the sky shaking her fists.

"REALLY? You want to make my curse even worse? Zeus! Hephaestus! Hermes! Have you no shame?" she heard some words floating up from the pit but she wasn't paying attention. "Show yourself! It's not bad enough you take away the few good heroes I'm allowed to meet? You think it's funny to send me this-this charbroiled runt of a boy to ruin my tranquility? This is NOT FUNNY! Take him back!"

"Hey, Sunshine," the boy echoed from the pit, "I'm right here, you know." She turned to him growling with rage.

"Do not call me sunshine! Get out of that hole and come with me now so I can get you off my island!"

He muttered a response but she was hardly paying attention. She was storming down the beach to the spot where the raft had arrived last time. She gestured with contempt at her beautiful beach that he had ruined.

"This was a pristine beach! Look at it now?"

"Yeah, my bad," the boy muttered sarcastically. "I should've crashed on one of the other island. Oh wait-there aren't any!" She stopped at the spot where the raft should appear. The boy didn't seem to notice and the oaf walked right into her, tripping and falling towards the water.

"Gah!" She grabbed his wrist on instinct. She noticed he smelt faintly of oil and metal and smoke. Not at all an unpleasant smell. Not that it mattered. She quickly shoved him away, pushing his smell out of her head. He looked distracted and had a subtle smile on his face, as if he were thinking of somewhere else. _Or someone else_, she thought bitterly. Not that it mattered, she quickly reminded herself.

"All right. This spot is good. Now tell me you want to leave."

"What?" He asked, apparently confused by her simple instructions.

"Do you want to leave?" She was quickly running out of patience for this slow demigod.  
"Surely you've got somewhere to go!"

"Uh...yeah. My friends are in trouble. I need to get back to my ship and-"

"Fine," she snapped at his answer, not sure why it stung. After all, she wanted him to leave. "Just say, I want to leave Ogygia." She said slowly like she was teaching a lesson.

"Uh, okay." She thought she detected a little bit of hurt in his voice. Good, she thought, time someone else gets hurt instead of _me_. Somewhere though, she felt bad. It wasn't really his fault, it was those vengeful gods and their infernal punishments. Pushing the thoughts out of her head, she listened to the demigod's attempt to say the line. "I want to leave -whatever you said."

"Oh-gee-gee-ah." She tried to pronounce it slowly, this boy obviously wasn't the fastest one around.

"I want to leave Oh-gee-gee-ah," said the demigod, mimicking her slow pronunciation of the word.

She sighed in relief, waiting for the magic raft to appear. If only all the heroes showed up in such a condition that required no healing, with a personality that made it easy to ignore. _Although_, a voice in her head mocked, _you seem to be thinking about this demigod a lot, for one so easy to ignore_. She ignored the voice. "Good. In a moment, a magical raft will appear. It will take you wherever you want to go."

"Who are you?" The boy gave her a look of questioning, suddenly seeming to realize the ridiculousness of the situation. She was about to answer, Calypso -daughter of Atlas- the Olympians favorite toy. As she opened her mouth, she stopped herself. No. The less he knew about her the better.

"It doesn't matter. You'll be gone soon. You're obviously a mistake." She was surprised by the harshness of the words as she spoke. A look of hurt flashed across the boys face, but she seemed to detect a hint of acceptance in his eyes. Like he was used to being called a mistake, and agreed with the claim. Somewhere deep inside her she felt a pain for him. She looked away quickly, hoping her eyes didn't betray her thoughts. Looking out to the sea, there was no raft. "Any moment now…" It shouldn't take this long. Something was wrong.

"Maybe it got stuck in traffic," suggested the boy. Anger welled within her, at the boy for making light of her curse, the gods for seemingly changing the rules. This wasn't ok. They couldn't do this to her.

"This is wrong." She shot a look of hatred and anger towards the sky. "This is completely wrong!" Why were they doing this to her? What had she done to deserve this new torture? Finally a hero that she didn't swoon for. A hero who she didn't yearn for. _Even if his eyes were the color of warm chocolate_. She angrily shook the unbidden thought out of her head. They finally sent someone she couldn't stand! But the raft. Wouldn't. Come.

"So…plan B?" the boy ventured. "You got a phone, or-" She almost appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood. _Almost_. Of all the lousy, no good, tortuous things-

"Agh!" She just couldn't handle it. She turned and stormed off towards her cave. Sprinting as the unwanted sting of tears reached her eyes. She ran to her garden, leaving the boy at the beach. At the moment she didn't care what happened to him. She didn't care if he probably needed food. She didn't want to entertain the thought of talking to him, or explaining the situation.

As she reached her garden she snatched a small trowel off of a table and attacked her vegetable garden. Imagining the soft loamy soil was the faces of the gods, she stabbed over and over again. Not caring about the dirt she was getting all over her arms, her face, and even her clean dress. She muttered enough curses to make any sailor cringe. Assuming of course that sailor knew Ancient Greek.

"I think you've punished that dirt enough," commented the demigod from behind her. She turned and leered at him. He was cautiously approaching her from the side, eyeing the sharp gardening tool she was currently stabbing into the earth. She didn't care enough to wipe away the angry tears from her eyes, instead growling at him.

"Just go away." Surprisingly enough, he seemed to soften at the sight of her tears. Oh so he's noble too. _I hate noble_, she thought, imagining where she could stab him without killing him were he to come over and attempt to comfort her. He probably saw her as a pathetic damsel in distress. She almost grinned at the thought, let him treat me like a simple nymph who fawns over heroes like him.

"You're crying," came his observation. She was caught off guard by the simple remark. No shot at suavely trying to win her over with his nobility. No attempt at trying to charm her with light humor. No stupid cheesy one liner, about how it'll be ok or he doesn't think he's that ugly. Just a observation. Spoken in a voice that emanated genuine care.

"None of your business," she grumbled, some of the wind taken out of her sails. Hard to stay angry when he's being sweet. Realizing the effect he was having on her, she waved him away, off to the forward somewhere. "It's a big island. Just...find your own place. Leave me alone." She emphasized the south with a pointed finger, "go that way, maybe."

"So, no magic raft," he questioned. "no other way of the island?"

"Apparently not!" She yelled, the question pointing out her hopeless situation.

"What am I supposed to do, then? Sit in the sand dunes until I die?" She mused at the suggestion. I wonder if he could? Probably not, her mind quickly answered.

"That would be fine…," she threw down the trowel and glared up as the rage built up again. "Except I suppose he can't die here, can he? Zeus! This is not funny!" Dread built up as she wondered if the boy had been sent to spend the rest of eternity with her here. To annoy her and remind her of just how pitiful a situation she was in. The boy seemed to be shocked at her answer.

"Hold up." He held his head weakly and braced against a tree. His thoughts seemed to race as he tried to work out exactly what she meant. _He still has no idea where he's at, does he_? She groaned realizing she would have to spend more time with this idiot, explaining to him where he was at, and how it worked.

"I'm going to need some more information here," he said. "You don't want me in your face, that's cool. I don't want to be here either. But I'm not going to go die in a corner. I have to get off this island. There's got to be a way. Every problem has a fix."

She couldn't help but laugh bitterly at his naivety. "You haven't lived very long, if you still believe that." She couldn't help the pure cynicism that dripped from her words. She almost felt sorry for the boy, wondering when and how badly the gods would smash his optimistic view of the world. Heroes always seemed to think the best of the world. Until the world destroyed everything they love.

"You said something about a curse," he offered. He looked at her differently, as if it was just clicking that she was likely centuries old, and much of that time had been spent on this island. She moved her fingers, wishing she could strangle Zeus.

"Yes. I cannot leave Ogygia. My father, Atlas, fought against the gods, and I supported him." The demigods eyes widened at the name.

"Atlas," he questioned. "As in the Titan Atlas."

She rolled her eyes at his surprise. "Yes, you impossible little…" she held back the insulting name. She noted the lack of disgust in his voice when he said the word Titans. He must have not been involved in Titan War II. She took comfort in know that she'd at least escape _that_ judgement. "I was imprisoned here, where I could cause the Olympians no trouble. About a year ago, after the Second Titan War, the gods vowed to forgive their enemies and offer amnesty. Supposedly Percy made them promise-"

"Percy," the boy asked, a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. "Percy Jackson?"

She shut her eyes, trying not to release the hurt and pain that name caused inside of her. Unfortunately a rebellious tear worked it's way out and down her cheek.

"Percy came here," he said with sudden realization.

She dug her fingers into the dirt, trying to remain together. She would not break down in front of this annoying. demigod. "I-I thought I would be released. I dared to hope...but I am still here." She slumped a little towards the ground biting her lip almost hard enough to draw blood. She remembered the promise he made to her, bitterly wondering where he was now. Probably questing with _annabeth_. He had probably completely forgotten about her.

"You're that lady," the boy said, pulling her out of her dark thoughts. "The one who was named after Caribbean music."

She glared at him, how dare he? "Caribbean music."

"Yeah. Reggae?" The boy shook his head. "Merengue? Hold on, I'll get it." He suddenly snapped. "Calypso! But Percy said you were awesome. He said you were all sweet and helpful, not, um…"

She stood up quickly. "Yes?" She felt both happy that Percy had mentioned her, but hurt once again when she thought of his empty promise.

"Uh, nothing," the boy quickly back paddled.

"Would you be sweet," she inquired, all the rage boiling to the surface, "if the gods forgot their promise to let you go? Would you be sweet if they laughed at you by sending another hero, but a hero who looked like-like you?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Di Immortales!" She spun and stormed into her cave.

"Hey!" the boy yelled after her, running into the cave. She was using a washbasin, cleaning off the dirt (and the tears) when he stormed in. When he walked he stopped and just looked around. His mouth hung open a little as he looked around the room in awe. He seemed especially curious about her helpers. She gave him a glare, but didn't yell. Then anger and energy was draining out of her, leaving her tired and strained near the point of breaking.

He cleared his throat, changing the tone of his voice to something softer, as if she was a scared dog in a corner and he was talking her down. That annoyed the Hades out of her. "So...I get why you're angry. You probably never want to see another demigod again. I guess that didn't sit right when, uh, Percy left you-"

"He was on the latest," she angrily points out. "Before him, it was that pirate Drake. And before him, Odysseus. They were all the same! The gods send me the greatest heroes. The ones I cannot help but.." her voice trembles.

"You fall in love with them," the boy ventures. "And then they leave you"

"That is my curse. I had hoped to be free of it by now, but here I am, still stuck on Ogygia after three thousand years." The demigod looks startled, he re-examines her, as if he's looking for signs of age.

"Three thousand," he mused. "Uh, you look good for three thousand." His dry tone just further insults her.

"And now...they worst insult of all. The gods mock me by sending you." She sees a quick flash of hurt that quickly morphs to anger. She realizes she must of hit some kind of nerve, and feels a mix of satisfaction and regret. Maybe she shouldn't be so harsh…

"Fine," he snapped. "I'll leave you alone. I'll build something myself and get off this stupid island without our help." At one time she might have been impressed by his resolve. Now she just pities him. She shake her head sadly.

"You don't understand, do you? The gods are laughing at both of us. If the raft will not appear, that means they've closed Ogygia. You're stuck here the same as me. You can never leave"

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**And there you have it! Did you like it? Did you hate it? Tell me why! I'll love you forever ;D**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N**

**So I keep forgetting because I'm really absent-minded but I have a shout out. So... I wish I was number five totally beta'd for me. Also she gave me the first opinion about my story so I just wanna give her a shout out. :D Anyways, this is by far the longest chapter (unless the epilogue somehow turns out to be huge) so enjoy! Again I don't own anything. All credit to Uncle Rick.**

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The First few weeks were the best. Or they might have been the worst. She never could decide. She only spoke to him once in the first week or so. He slept out on the beach, on a bed of rags he pulled from that magical belt of his and kept himself warm with a fire made from the scraps of the dining table. _Her_ dining table. She was sure he enjoyed that. As much as she would have loved to let him starve, her servants seemed to respond to unspoken request to feed him each night. Soon she found herself making extra food for him. _Well_, she reasoned, _it's my conscious_. _I can't just let him starve._ Somehow, she didn't quite believe it.

One day she decided to spin wool on her loom. She thought it might help take her mind off of things. Before she realized what she was doing she had a made a set of simple clothes for the boy. _It was the wheel_, she thought, _it sensed the boy's need for clothes and spun it for him_. For some reason though, she didn't believe that either. Later he came by and asked how long he had been on the island, complaining about not knowing whether it had been 3 or 4 days. She grimaced and explained that time was difficult here. He didn't like that answer and stormed away. Not that she cared.

Once he walked into the cave while she was crying and punching a wall, frustrated with her situation. Before he could see her in that condition, she started throwing pots and pans at him. He didn't come back. That made her happy. Or that might have made her said. She could never decide.

After a few weeks, things started to return to normal. She could almost pretend he wasn't there. Almost. Those nightly bowls of stew weren't for a demigod. They were a sacrifice to the gods. No, that made her angry. They were for the animals? A puppy. She liked that. They were for a sweet puppy she'd found on the beach. A puppy with soft chocolate eyes. That smelled faintly of smoke and machinery and -_ NO!_ She stopped those thoughts and decided not to think about it at all. Ignore that it's even happening.

Soon though, she started hearing things. A lot of things. Banging and clanging came from his campsite, where the beach met the path. Soon she started seeing smoke drift lazily into the sky from that direction as well. _What on earth was this demigod doing_, she thought. She went to investigate, thinking up some excuse about scaring the birds. Not that she needed an excuse.

She arrived at his campsite and was instantly surprised by what he'd done with the place. Somewhere he had found scraps of celestial bronze and was currently hammering them in a forge. That he built himself. From clay bricks. She noticed he had burnt his shirt off, not at all noticing the deceptively strong back and arms he had. He reached into the inferno and grabbed a glowing hot piece of metal. With his bare hands. Then without flinching he set it down and started working on it. Hmmmm, he seemed to be immune to heat and fire.

Realizing she was staring with a small blush, she cleared her throat loudly. He turned around and grunted setting down his tools and grabbing an oily cloth to wipe his face off. He walked over to her and arched his eyebrows, obviously surprised she was there. His bare chest was having an interesting effect on her, making it hard to remember why she came. Ah yes, the birds.

"Smoke and fire," she started, momentarily forgetting how to speak. "Clanging on metal all day long. You're scaring away the birds!"

"Oh, no, not the birds!" came his snarky, but good-natured, response.

"What do you hope to accomplish?" she asked, resisting the urge to grin. His sarcasm and good humor was infectious, but she would not cave in.

He had started to work again but he looked up to respond, almost smashing his thumb with a hammer. He seemed to see her for the first time, he must have been thinking about something else the first time he responded. He took her in, and his eyes drifted to her basket with food in it. She saw two bowls of stew, untouched, sitting off to the side.

"I'm hoping to get off this island," he said. "That is what you want, right?" The words stung a little. She wasn't sure why. _Of course_ she wanted him gone. She scowled at him and sat her basket down, nodding at the two bowls of stew.

"You haven't eaten in two days. Take a break and eat."

"Two days?" He looked at the basket and she decided she'd leave it there. Why did she bring the basket of grapes and bread? _Surely_ it hadn't been for him. Then why was she leaving it? She contemplated picking it up, but something stopped her.

"Thanks," he muttered, drawing her attention back to him. "I'll, uh, try to hammer more quietly." She was surprised at the lack of sarcasm in his voice. He must be tired from working she thought.

"Huh." She turned and walked away, trying to push the image of him beating the bronze bare chested from her mind. She got back to the cave as the hammering resumed, with no change in volume. But she didn't complain. She liked the sounds, it helped drown out the voices in her head. The ones asking her what she was doing, how she was feeling about this boy. The ones mocking her for starting down the path of heartbreak again.

She decided to find out a little about this boy. She walked to her cave and sat by a pool of crystal clear water. So still and clean that it gave her a perfect reflection of herself. She looked at it and noticed something startling. Another one of those damned smiles had snuck onto her face. She frowned,_ he had not right_, making her smile. She stood up and left to go weed her garden. Not that it needed weeding. She just wanted to stab something.

The next day, she returned to the pool. Curiosity had won over, drawing her back to find out about this boy. _Just his name_, she promised herself. _Yeah right_, responded her brain. She cleared her head and started to sing. She put magic into her words and the image in the water shifted. She saw an old man that looked like the boy, sitting on a rocking chair staring off into the horizon. She wondered if somehow she was seeing the future, but she was no oracle. Suddenly a little boy, no more than 5 tumbled into the image. Somehow she knew this was the demigod down the path. Then the image shifted to another scene, the little boy was older in a machine shop with a woman who was obviously his mother. She couldn't quite pick up on what she was saying, straining close she heard the name Leo. So that was his name. Leo. Sighing she touched the water, the ripples tearing the image and slowly replacing it with her own image. She knew his name. _Mission accomplished_.

The next day, however, she returned. She watched as images in the water flickered past. Over the next few days she learned much about this Leo. On the fourth day she was intently watching the water, something about him joining the Wild academy or something, when she heard a throat clear behind her. Startled, she almost fell in. Putting a hand into the pond for stability she disrupted the image.

"Whatcha watching?" She turned around to a nervous looking Leo. She hoped that the blush she felt was not visible in the the cave. _The blush?_ Why was she blushing? _It was because he had caught her off guard,_ she decided, _that was it_.

"W-What are you doing in here," she demanded, "do you not know of knocking?" He smacked his forehead, cursing himself under his breath.

"I -sorry, I forgot, it's just I, well it's that your-" he stuttered through a mix of words, he took a deep breath. "Sorry, it's just your fountain!" He suddenly said and smiled, seemingly remembering why he came in.

"My fountain?" She gave him a curious look and stood up. "What about my fountain?"

"Well, it's broke and uh," he reached into his tool belt pulling out a wrench, "I, uh, want to fix it."

She nodded slowly thinking it over. "Well it's been broken longer than you've been alive. So you can try, but I doubt even _you_ can fix it. But by any means, hit it with a wrench. I've got to go down and collect some flowers."

He gave a quick salute, almost braining himself with the wrench then left to go tinker with her fountain. By the time she came back not only was it working, her cave curtains were straight again, and all her gardening tools had been sharpened. She smirked despite herself and went into the cave, looking around before sitting next to a pool of water and singing.

She walked towards Leo's campsite with a bundle of clothes in her arms. Since he started working with the bronze he was burning through clothes almost as fast as she could weave them. _Literally_. But she had figured out a way to solve that. She smiled at her clever plan, then quickly forced the smile away. _No smiling_. This was just so she would have less to weave. _That's all_.

Lost in thought she tripped over a root, almost catching her new clothes on a bush and tearing it. She had weaved herself a new set of red clothes. Unusual for her as she mostly just wore white. She had convinced herself it was just because she was bored with white. Why red? It was the easiest dye to make of course. It was also Leo's favorite color, although that was irrelevant.

She found him working on some wires at his workshop. He didn't notice. He was wrapped up in the whatever he was doing at the moment. She cleared her throat. He didn't notice. She tried again. He didn't notice. _Again._ So she just started to talk.

"I brought you-" Leo jumped like he was standing on lava. If lava even affected him. He dropped the wires and swung around his eyes wide with surprise.

"Bronze bulls, girl! Don't sneak up on me like that!" She tried not to giggle at his reaction. _Wait_. She wanted to giggle? No it's just, laughing at his surprise. That's ok. Doesn't mean anything.

"I wasn't sneaking," she defended herself. "I was bringing you these." She showed him the clothes she was carrying. Hoping it hadn't been a mistake. It was a fireproof set of clothes. Jeans, a white T-shirt, and an army fatigue jacket. His favorite clothes. From when he first arrived at Camp Half-blood. His eyes widened with recognition. He looked from the clothes to her, back to the clothes and back to her.

He managed to choke out a, "how?" She set the clothes down at his feet backing away. She noted with a hint of satisfaction that she had stunned him into speechlessness. From the images she'd been seeing in her pool, that wasn't an easy task. He stared at her, trying to figure out exactly how she knew. Quickly she responded, hoping to avoid suspicion.

"I do have a little magic, you know. You keep burning through the clothes I give you, so I thought I would weave something less flammable." He picked up the jeans feeling them, it was magic though so it no doubt felt like a regular pair of jeans.

"These won't burn?"

"They are completely fireproof," she promised. "They'll stay clean and expand to fit you, should you ever become less scrawny."

"Thanks." She expected something a little more snarky. But it sounded like he was genuinely impressed. She felt a spark of pride somewhere inside, but quickly pushed it aside. "So...you made an exact replica of my favorite outfit. Did you, like, Google me or something?"

She frowned at his question. She'd never heard that word before. Was it a spell of some kind? A device? The world changes a lot in 3,000 years. "I don't know that word."

"You looked me up," he said, and she hoped he didn't see the blush. "Almost like you had some interest in me."

She tried to put on a look of surprise mixed with disgust, she hoped it didn't look as fake as it felt. "I have an interest in not making you a new set of clothes every other day. I have an interest in your not smelling so bad and walking around my island in smoldering rags."

"Oh, yeah." Leo grinned, annoying her. "You're really warming up to me." He had to see the blush now. It felt like her face was on fire. She was most certainly not warming up to him. Of all the annoying things he had said…

"You are the most insufferable person I have ever met.! I was only returning a favor. You fixed my fountain." At this he laughed at her with surprise. He must have forgotten about it.

"That?", he chuckled. "That was no big deal. I don't like it when things don't work right."

"And the curtain across the cave entrance?" He blushed.

"The rod wasn't level."

"And my gardening tools?" He blushed even more.

"Look, I just sharpened the shears. Cutting vines with a dull blade is dangerous. And the pruners needed to be oiled at the hinge, and-"

"Oh, yeah," she tried to imitate his smug tone. "You're really warming up to me." He opened his mouth and closed it again. He was speechless. Again. She kept in a smirk. Or maybe it showed. She couldn't tell. They both looked at each other, each blushing slightly in an awkward silence. Hoping to end it, she pointed at his dropped wires.

"What are you building?"

"Oh." He looked over at a highly polished piece of bronze. She figured it must be a mirror. Though by the looks of him he hadn't used it. Though his shaggy, dirty, worn appearance suited him. Not that she cared. Pushing the thought out of her head she listened to his explanation.

"Uh, it's a seeing device," he said. "We found one like this in Rome, in the workshop of Archimedes. If i can make it work, maybe I can find out what's going on with my friends."

She shook her head doubtfully. Did he ever listen to her? "That's impossible. This island is hidden, cut off from the world by strong magic. Time doesn't even flow the same here."

"Well, you've got to have some kind of outside contact. How did you find out that I used to wear an army jacket?" She twisted her hair, hoping there wasn't another blush creeping onto her face. She didn't want to tell him about her little reflection pool.

"Seeing the past is simple magic. Seeing the present or the future...that is not."

"Yeah, well," Leo argued. "Watch and learn, Sunshine. I just connect these last two wires, and-" she hated that nickname. Or maybe she didn't. She never could tell.

The bronze plate sparked and his precious little ball started smoking like the furnace. The sleeve of his shirt caught fire. He ripped off his shirt and threw it down, stomping on it. She tried not laugh, her body shaking with the effort. She also tried not to look at his bare chest. She was unsuccessful.

"Not a word," he warned.

"Nothing worth commenting on," she quickly covered. "If you want that device to work, perhaps you should try a musical invocation."

"Right," he said. "Whenever an engine malfunctions, I like to tap-dance around it. Works every time." She ignored his sarcasm and thought of her reflection pool. She took a calming breath and began singing. She sung of the world she missed. One she longed for.

He stared at her while she sung, making her self conscious. She tried not to blush as her song rolled over him and he seemed to zone out. Remembering lost times of happiness as a slow smile spread across his face. She stopped singing, and looked at him. He snapped out of it blushing and dropping the smile.

"Any luck?" she asked him.

"Uh…" he slowly looked back at the mirror which was empty, save his reflection. "Nothing. Wait…" the reflection changed into an image like her reflection pool. A camp in the hills spread out before her. People were running around panicked. A big girl seemed to be yelling at a group of parading demigods. Weapons and armor we're being passed out, and in the distance Greek warships floated. There was a centaur dressed in battle armor who seemed to be overseeing everything. In the hills large catapults were being set up.

"Your friends?" she asked, wondering what was happening.

Leo looked numb, "they're preparing for war."

"Against whom?"

"Look," he said. The scene changed to a phalanx of demigods. But something seemed different. The armor was different, and so were the weapons. They were more organized, and wearing a lot of purple. She realized they were Romans. She sneered at the natural enemy of the Greeks as they marched through a vineyard.

"I've seen that sign before," he said, pointing at an illuminated sign that read GOLDSMITH WINERY. "That's not far from Camp Half-Blood."

Suddenly the orderly phalanx fell into chaos. Javelins swung wildly, while shields fell. It was like they had suddenly walked onto hot coals. Darting between the ranks were small hairy..._things_ dressed in mismatched clothes and bright hats. They seemed to be moving like shadows, everywhere at once. Whacking kids on the head, stealing weapons, and cutting belts so their pants fell.

Leo suddenly burst into a grin. "Those beautiful little troublemakers! They kept their promise."

She leaned in, looking close at what looked like a cross between a troll and a monkey. "Cousins of yours?" She teased him, examining the scene with humor.

"Ha, ha, ha, no," he chuckled. "Couple of dwarfs I met in Bologna. I sent them to slow down the Romans, and they're doing it."

"But for how long?" She wondered out loud, regretting the tone of foreboding she had.

He looked like he was going to answer when the image changed again, settling on a gas station. She saw a lanky blonde haired kid in an official looking toga standing in the parking lot, surrounded by SUV's and what she assumed we're roman demigods. He held up a big pole wrapped in canvas. Uncovering it she saw a golden eagle perched on top.

"Oh, that's not good," he gulped.

"A Roman standard," she agreed.

"Yeah. And this one shoots lightning, according to Percy." The name instantly hurt. She was able to contain it within herself, but judging by the way Leo looked at her, he knew he had made a mistake. He looked into her eyes and she knew he could see it. Then he got angry, but not at her. He seemed to look past her glaring at somebody who wasn't there. Was….no. It couldn't be. Quickly she focused back on the image as it was shifting again.

Leo also looked back at the image, seeing a singly Pegasus flying through the air. It's eyes were wild, and it's mouth was slavering from some seriously hard riding. On it's back sat a lone girl, dark hair whipping in the wind. Her purple cloak fluttered, revealing armor underneath. She bled from a multitude of cuts on her arms and face, but she remained focused on the storm in front of her.

As they watched, a wild Gryphon flew down out of the clouds. It raked its claws across the horse's ribs, almost throwing the girl off. She drew her sword and brutally slashed the monster down. Without any time to rest, three dark air spirits swirled down, flashing with lightning. The girl charged yelling bravely and-

Nothing. The mirror returned to Leo's intent reflection. "No!" he yelled, banging on the mirror. "Calypso, can you sing again or something?" Suddenly bitterness, anger, and-and jealousy bubbled up inside of her. She snapped at him.

"I suppose that is you girlfriend? Your Penelope? Your Elizabeth? Your Annabeth?" She bit her lip, wondering why she cared so much.

"What?" Leo seemed confused by her anger. "That's Reyna. She's not my girlfriend! I need to see more! I need-" suddenly the ground rumbled with a voice deeper than the ocean.

_ NEED. NEED is an overused word_. A swirling pile of mud rose and configured itself into a woman. Her eyes were closed, and she had a creepy smile on her face. Her robes shifted and changed, as if she were wearing a tornado. Leo threw a pair of pliers -he always seemed to have a tool from the belt of his in his hand- but it passed right through the entity. She seemed to focus on him, how she did that with closed eyes was impossible to tell.

_ You want to live_, the dark force said. _You want to join your friends_. _But you do not _need_ this my poor boy_. _It would make no difference. Your friends will die, regardless._

"What I _don't_ need," he growled, "is more lies from you, Dirt Face. You told me my great-grandfather died in the 1960's. Wrong! You told me I couldn't save my friends in Rome. Wrong! You told me a lot of things."

A unsettling sound, like dirt falling before a boulder flattens someone, filled the air. Calypso realized it was laughter, of the most ancient and evil kind.

_ I tried to help you make better choices. You could have saved yourself. But you defied my at every step. You built your ship. You joined that foolish quest. Now you are trapped here, helpless, while the mortal world dies._

Suddenly flames erupted from Leo's hands. Calypso stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder, calming him. She looked over his shoulder at the Earth Mother. "Gaea." Her voice remained calm, even though she was addressing the earth itself. "You are not welcome." Suddenly the swirling mass seemed to refocus, as she felt it's malevolence and contempt directed at her.

_Ah, Calypso._ The dark mass raised it hands in a gesture of acknowledgement. _Still here, I see, despite the gods' promises. Why do you think that is, my dear grandchild? Are the Olympians being spiteful, leaving you with no company except this undergrown fool? Or have they simply forgotten you, because you are not worth their time?_ She stared all the way through, to the horizon of a world she may never return to.

_Yes_, Gaea murmured. _The Olympians are faithless. They do not give second chances. Why do you hold out hope? You supporter your father, Atlas, in his great war. You knew that the gods must be destroyed. Why do you hesitate now? I offer you a chance that Zeus would never give you._

"Where were you these last three thousand years?" Calypso snorted. "If you are so concerned with my fate, why do you visit me only now?"

Gaea turned up her palms, as if to show her presence now. _The earth is slow to wake. War comes in its own time. But do not think it will pass you by on Ogygia. When I remake the world, this prison will be destroyed as well._

"Ogygia destroyed?" She wondered if she had ever entertained the thought. Sure she didn't want to be trapped, but this island was beautiful. It had been her home for thousands of years.

_You do not have to be here when that happens_, Gaea promised. _Join me now. Kill this boy. Spill his blood upon the earth, and help me to wake. I will free you and grant you any wish. Freedom. Revenge against the gods. Even a prize. Would you still have the demigod Percy Jackson? I will spare him for you. I will raise him from Tartarus. He will be yours to punish or to love, as you choose. Only kill this trespassing boy. Show your loyalty._

_That simple?_ Just kill Leo. Gain your freedom. Gain vengeance. Calypso surprised herself. Because she knew her answer immediately. She looked at Leo raising her hand, and her flinched ready to fight back. She formed an ancient Greek symbol for warding off evil and pointed it at Gaea.

"This is not just my prison, Grandmother. It is my home. And you are the trespasser."

A strong wind blew in, ripping away Gaea's form until nothing was left. Calypso sighed. Leo looked shocked. He swallowed looking at her. He seemed grateful but confused. As if he expect her to stab him on the spot.

"Uh, don't take this the wrong way, but you didn't kill me. Are you crazy?"

She looked at him, a passionate anger burning inside of her. She had made up her mind. No long would she ignore Leo. No longer would she pass the time gardening while filled with anger or self-pity. She would act. And she would act with Leo Valdez.

"Your friends must need you, or else Gaea would not ask for your death."

"I-uh, yeah. I guess."

"Then we have work to do," she spoke with finality. "We must get you back to your ship."

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**So did you like it? Love it? Hate it? Want to kill it with fire? Make cookies for it's very sexy author ;)? Tell me why! I do enjoy the reviews. They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :D! **


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N**

**Here is the final chapter of hope! I know, I know. But all good things must come to an end. I will not be Brett Favre-ing this story. And to everyone who doesn't know what that means. Don't worry about it. There will be an epilogue tomorrow though. If I get around to writing it. If it isn't published tomorrow don't lose faith. It'll happen. Probably. I'm moving houses tomorrow so that may be an issue. Anyways. Here you go!**

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If Leo thought he'd been busy before, he had another thing coming. Calypso was something of a workhorse, when she put her mind to it. Within the first day, she had everything she needed to do finished. She'd woven a sail, big enough for any boat Leo could possibly create. She'd also made enough rope for all the rigging on such a boat. She'd packed plenty of supplies for a week long trip. Food, water, and herbal medicines all included. By the second day, she was bored. And Calypso didn't do _bored_.

She decided to see if Leo needed any help with his project. She found him wiring a circuit board. He looked up at her, continuing to wire while they talked. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were anxious to get rid of me."

"That's a bonus," she responded quickly. _Too quickly_. Of course she wanted him to leave. Then she'd have the island back. _Her_ island. It would be tranquil again, and she could go back to gardening and having tea on the beach. Of course. That's what she wanted, wassn't it? What she wanted…. What did she want?

She was broken out of her thoughts by Leo inquiring about the change of outfit. She'd traded her typical dress or simple skirt and tunic for more efficient clothes. She was wearing a pair of jeans, and a dirty white shirt. She told him that she realized these were more practical after making some for him. She noticed he seemed to approve in more ways then one. But that was irrelevant.

"So?" she ventured.

"So...what?"

She looked at the circuitry. "So how can I help? How is it coming?"

"Oh, uh, I'm good here. I guess. If I can wire this thing up to the boat, I should be able to navigate back to the world."

"Now all you need is a boat." Suddenly she felt something deep in her gut that she couldn't place. Sorrow? Regret? Yearning? Yearning to leave the island, of course. She convinced herself she was merely wishing she could leave. But she wasn't doing a good job of it.

Leo looked at her, then to bis bag of supplies. He seemed to be tallying something in his head when he looked at her. His expression softened. She saw something in his eyes. Something she couldn't place. That made her feel something she couldn't place. Then he offered her something.

"What Gaea said…" he started. "About you getting off this island. Would you want to try it?"

Was he at this again? She scowled. Did he want her to kill him? Spill his blood on the sand for Gaea? She didn't understand why he was having such a hard time believing that she would choose him over freedom.

"Well...I'm not saying it would be fun having you along, always complaining and glaring at me and stuff. But I suppose I could stand it, if you wanted to try." A crack formed in the already failing wall. The wall she had attempted to put up when she found him. It had already let things in. The smell of him. His soft brown eyes. His strong hands. His sweetness. If he kept this up, the wall might come down. Then what would happen?

"How noble," she muttered. _Damn nobility_. "But no, Leo. If I tried to come with you, your tiny chance of escape would be no chance at all. The gods have placed ancient magic on this island to keep me here. A hero can leave. I cannot. The most important thing is getting you free so you can stop Gaea. Not that I care what happens to you," she quickly included. "But the world's fate is at stake."

"Why would you care about that?" He ventured. "I mean, after being away from the world for so long."

She gave him a surprised look. Leo was getting sensible on her. "I suppose I don't like being told what to do-by Gaea or anyone else. As much as I hate the gods sometimes, over the three millennia I've come to see that they're better than the Titans. They're definitely better than the giants. At least the gods kept in touch. Hermes has always been kind to me. And your father, Hephaestus, has often visited. He is a good person."

She wondered if she was just talking about Hephaestus. Or someone else too. She regarded him. Smirking, she reached over and closed his jaw. He seem surprised that it was open. There's the Leo I know and -

She stopped. The Leo I know and _what?_ She shook that startling thought out of her head and turned her attention back to him.

"Now," she reminded him, "How can I help?"

"Oh." He looked at his project as if something were bugging him. Then he suddenly snapped his head up and blurted something out. "You know that flameproof cloth? You think you could make me a little bag of that fabric?"

She waved away his dimensions, agreeing impatiently. "That will only take minutes. Will it help on your quest?"

"Yeah. It might save a life. And, um, could you chip off a little piece of crystal from your cave? I don't need much."

She frowned. That was an ominous response, and such a random request. "That's an odd request".

"Humor me.:

"All right. Consider it done. I'll make the fireproof pouch tonight at the loom, when I've cleaned up. But what can I do now, while my hands are dirty?" She held up her dirty hands, calloused from thousands of years of gardening and building. She thought she noticed a slight blush on his cheeks as he examined her hands.

"Well," he said, "you could twist some more bronze coils. But that's kind of specialized-"

She pushed in next to him on the bench, and began braiding the bronze wire in a blur. "Just like weaving," she said. "This isn't so hard." She tried not to notice their proximity. His smoky smell, or the warmth of his body where it touched hers. Her heart raced. But it was from the work she'd been doing all day. Obviously.

"Huh," he mused. "Well, if you ever get off this island and want a job, let me know. You're not a total klutz."

She smirked. "A job, eh? Making things in your forge?"

"Nah, we could start our own shop," he suddenly said. His voice got a dreamy tone to it, and she couldn't help the butterflies that sprang into her stomach. Start a shop? With Leo? That would be awful. It would be annoying. She wouldn't be able to stand it. _She might even love it._ "Leo and Calypso's Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters."

"Fresh fruits and vegetables," she added.

"Cider and stew," Leo continued. "We could even provide entertainment. You could sing and I could, like, randomly burst into flames."

Then she did something that surprised even herself. Something she had not done In over a year. She laughed. A real, clear, happy laugh. She even smiled. How did he do that? She wondered to herself.

"See," Leo chided. "I'm funny."

She forced away the smile, which was more difficult than it should have been. "You are not funny. Now, get back to work, or no cider and stew."

"Yes ma'am," he barked. They worked in silence, side by side, for the rest of the afternoon. And she certainly didn't like it. Or maybe she did. This time, though, she was pretty sure she knew which it was.

Two nights later, and they had finished the complicated circuitry of the, what did he call it? Guidance counsel or something of the sort. They sat on the beach together, near where Leo had destroyed her dining table. They were having a picnic dinner together. The tide had turned the craters into two tide pools. She might like that. She could keep fish.

The campfire sent small orange sparks into the sky. She was wearing a fresh shirt, but she had grown rather attached to her jeans. It's because they were comfortable she told herself. It had nothing to do with the fact that Leo seemed to like seeing her in them. The moon turned the waves a beautiful silver. It was a perfect night for a romantic picnic. Not that she was having one. It was just a general thought. Obviously.

Behind the dunes, the supplies were packed and ready to go. All they needed was one thing now. One very important detail.

"All we need now is a boat," she joked.

Leo nodded, and she cursed inwardly for using the word _we_. She waited for his reply, hoping he hadn't noticed.

"I can start chopping wood into boards tomorrow," he mused. She breathed a sigh of relief at his apparent ignorance of her slip up. "Few days, we'll have enough for a small hull."

"You've made a ship before," she suddenly remembered. "Your Argo II."

He nodded, getting a faraway look. Probably thinking about his boat. And his friends. _About leaving_. Not that she cared.

"So how long until you sail?" She managed to keep her tone light, but the refused to make eye contact with him. Lest he see the crumbling walls inside of her.

"Uh, not sure. Another week?" Somehow she felt grateful for the timeline. Funny considering she just wanted him to leave when he first arrived. Now she was happy for the little time they had left. She ran her fingers across the circuit board.

"This took so long to make."

"You can't rush perfection."

She felt one of those annoying smiles tug at the corners of her mouth. Persistent little things those were. "Yes, but will it work?"

"Getting out, no problem," Leo stated smugly. "But to get back I'll need festus and-"

"What?" Her heart made a sudden Ka-Thump! in her chest. _What did he just say?_

"Festus." Leo blinked with confusion. "My bronze dragon. Once I figure out how to rebuild him, I'll-"

"You told me about Festus," she cut him off. "But what do you mean get back?"

A nervous grin took over his face. "Well...to get back here, duh. I'm sure I said that"

"You most definitely did not." Another crack in the wall.

"I'm not gonna leave you here! After you helped me and everything? Of course I'm coming back. Once I rebuild Festus, he'll be able to handle and improved guidance system. There's this astrolabe that I, uh…" He stopped, looking like there was something he thought best not to mention. "...that I found in Bologna. Anyway, I think with that crystal you gave me-"

"You can't come back," she said, a little harsher than she meant.

"Because I'm not welcome?" The hurt in his voice made her heart hurt.

"Because you can't." She avoided answering that question, afraid of her answer. "No man finds Ogygia twice. That is the rule."

Leo rolled his eyes, making her stomach flutter. "Yeah, well, you might've noticed I'm not good at following rules. I'm coming back here with my dragon, and we'll spring you. Take you wherever you want to go. It's only fair." A brick fell.

"Fair…" her voice barely louder than a whisper. More bricks. He looked at her, trying to read her reaction. She couldn't muster words at the moment. She felt like her stomach was attempting to escape her body.

"You didn't really think I could start Leo and Calypso's Auto Repair without Calypso, did you?" he asked. "I can't make cider and stew, and I sure can't sing."

_Crash._ The wall came falling down to the ground. She stared at the sand as one singular tear escaped her eye. She remembered the promise made to her by that pirate so long ago. He didn't mean it. He _couldn't_ mean it. Not for her. It was her curse. But there it was. That burn deep in the pit of her stomach. It worked its way up from her toes until her whole body felt uncomfortably warm. Hope. The gods had done it again. They'd made her love the hero. Even worse. They made her hope.

"Well, anyways," Leo said, "tomorrow I'll start on the lumber. And in a few days…" Suddenly he stopped, staring at the water.

_No._

_Not again._

She looked up at the object bobbing in the water with a dark smile. Of course. It was her curse. The raft wasn't activated by magic words spoken by a hero. It was activated by her heart. It was activated by her feelings. The raft responded to her love. And there it was, slowly sliding onto the beach. The way off the island.

She sprang into action. She sprinted back grabbing some bags of supplies, yelling at Leo over her shoulder. "Hurry! I don't know how long it will stay!"

She ran back with a bag over her shoulder, and one in each hand. Leo stood still like a statue, staring at the raft in disbelief. He seemed to be muttering to himself.

"That's the magic raft?" he questioned.

"Duh!" She yelled. She felt like breaking down, but Leo was frustrating her with his seeming inability to move. "It might work like it's supposed to and take you wherever you want to go. But we can't be sure. The island's magic is obviously unstable. You must rig up your guidance device to navigate.:

She snatched up the console off the ground, and ran to the raft. This seemed to snap him out of it. He helped her attach it to the raft, and run wires to the small rudder in the back. He and Calypso hauled their sail aboard and start to rig it to the mast already put on the raft. They worked together like a well oiled machine. She smirked, Leo would like that analogy. Soon they had the sail ready, and all the supplies on board. Leo quickly smacked some buttons on his sphere, muttering something she couldn't quite catch, and it hummed to life. The rigging tightened, the sail turned, and the raft began scraping against the sand, like a horse ready to charge.

"Go." She said quickly, she tried to hide the tears in her eyes. Leo turned, and they were so close it made her dizzy. She couldn't help but think she might never smell something as wonderful as his smoky scent again.

"The raft finally got here," he tried to grin, but succeeded only a small smile. Sh snorted at his attempt at a joke, trying to keep herself together. He looked at her eyes and she hoped he discounted the shine in them as the moon.

"You just noticed?"

"But if it only shows up for guys you like-"

"Don't push your luck, Leo Valdez," she said. "I still hate you."

"Okay."

"And you are not coming back here," she added, knowing what he would say. "So don't give me any empty promises."

"How about a full promise? he said. "Because I'm definitely-"

And at that moment, there was only one thing she wanted to do. It was to shut him up of course. Nothing else. _Obviously._ So she did it. She grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss. It did the trick. He shut up. She could tell by his reaction that this was his first kiss. She kind of liked that. She broke it, and pushed him onto the boat.

"That didn't happen."

"Okay." She smirked at his voice, which seemed much higher than usual.

"Get out of here."

"Okay." If she'd known kissing him would make him this agreeable, she might have done it sooner. She turned, wiping at her eyes and hoping he didn't notice. She stormed up the beach, a light breeze accompanying her. She reach the campfire and turned, the wind catching the sail so that the raft was already a small dot in the ocean. She thought she heard something on the wind, and oath sworn on the river styx to come back for her. But she might've imagined it. Probably.

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** Do you like the way I ended it? Tell me! You hated the way it ended? Tell me how it should have. **

** And because this is the last chapter let's do something fun. Take your favorite song at the moment, and at "in my pants" to the end. For me? Radioactive in my pants. ;)**


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